1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to telephone connectors and more specifically, to a means for weatherproofing these connectors to make them impervious to the environment.
2. Discussion of the Relevant Art
Numerous attempts have been made over the years to weatherproof the conventional telephone connector generally referred to as an RJ 11C connector (modular plug) or an RJ 11C (modular jack) which is a mating connector for the modular plug. The metal contacts on the modular plug make continuous electrical contact with the electrical contacts occurring in the jack so that when a plug is inserted into the jack a continuous electrically conducting path is accomplished. This type of plug and jack connector which has become a standard in the telephone industry is generally vulnerable to moisture deposits which may short the metal terminals or may be subjected to degradation by fungus, insects and the like when exposed to the environment. Many approaches have attempted to seal the connector and protect it from being exposed to the environment.
One of the approaches is disclosed in U.S. Design Pat. No. 190,425 issued to G. W. Dean on May 30, 1961. The apparatus disclosed therein discloses a separate housing for the plug and a separate housing for the jack, which are held in position by protrusions provided on the side of the plug housing member which is received into the channels provided on the socket protecting housing member. However, if this type of protective housing was mounted in the horizontal or vertical plane access to moisture is not prevented because there is a continuous path around the circumference of the plug which permits water to enter and therefore accumulate over time.
Another approach to the problem is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,588,238 which was issued to Mickelson, et al on May 13, 1986. The apparatus disclosed therein utilizes a pressure mechanism (spring) to hold the plug element into the cooperating female or socket utilizing a resilient sealing member upon which the spring member provides pressure. Hereagain, the surface of the socket is in the same plane with the surface of the housing and thus, water may enter the connector along the seam line of the resilient member and the socket.
A more conventional and obvious solution to the problem is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,500,158 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,616,897 issued to Dola on Feb. 19, 1985 and Oct. 14, 1986, respectively. The apparatus disclosed in these patents provide for a separate cover member which is held on to the housing that receives the female socket by means of channels or grooves that receive the cover member. This approach also suffers from the same problem wherein there is a flat surface between the socket mounting and the mating plug so that any moisture entering along the channel or interface surface is accessible to the socket and thus over time can cause serious problems.
Another approach was disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,576,428 issued to DeLuca, et al on May 18, 1986 which utilizes a resilient member and clamping means to surround the male plug once it is received into the female socket. However, as noted earlier, the surface of the female socket is in the same plane as the receiving member for the socket and thus, it relies on the resilient pressure and forces applied around the male plug to stop any moisture from entering. As is well known, the pressure contact is not a good protector for moisture, since by virtue of capillary action the moisture may very well follow the common surface even though under pressure, which is designed to reduce the amount of moisture entering. The approaches utilized in the known apparatuses all suffer from the same serious shortcoming which is overcome by the instant invention.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a resilient boot or shroud adapted to cover the female socket receptacle so that a flat surface interface does not occur between the protective boot and the mounting surface of the female connector.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a simple protection for the plug and jack of a conventional telephone connection so that they are impervious to the atmospheric conditions.
It is still yet another object of the present invention to provide an inexpensive means of increasing the reliability of a telephone jack and plug arrangement which permits the removal of the plug member with ease.
It is still yet another object of the present invention to provide an inexpensive shroud or boot which will prevent the plug member from being exposed to the atmosphere and protect the female or jack member from being exposed to the atmosphere and may be mounted in the horizontal or vertical plane.
The foregoing and other objects and advantages will appear from the description to follow. In the description reference is made to the accompanying drawing which forms a part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. These embodiments will be described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, and it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that structural changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the present invention is best defined by the appended claims.